International students from all nationalities who are non-EEA/EFTA and want to pursue a Master’s programme, except LLM (Law) or LLM (non-Advanced), can now apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (LExS) in the Netherlands. The scholarship applies to the program that starts in September or February each year. The scholarship will cover up to €15,000 of the tuition fee. The selection process will involve choosing the three best candidates.
About Leiden University Excellence Scholarships
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarships Programme, also known as the LExS scholarship, is currently accepting applications from outstanding international students who are not from the EU/EEA. The scholarship is open to students who plan to enroll in a master’s degree programme in any faculty at Leiden University.
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme has three types of awards to offer. These include €10,000, €15,000 or the total tuition fee minus the home fee, depending on the qualifications of the applicants.
The scholarship is available for master’s programmes in any field except for the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy and LLM. Students who are awarded the scholarship will have the opportunity to study at Leiden University, which is one of the top universities in the Netherlands.
Requirements and Qualifications for Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (LexS)
International students who are not from the EU/EEA region and wish to start their master’s degree programme at Leiden University in September or February are eligible to apply.
Applicants should have outstanding academic performance in their previous studies abroad, which should be relevant to the programme they intend to pursue.
The student should have ranked in the top 10% of their programme of study abroad.
Candidates must possess a non-EU/EEA passport and are not qualified for financial assistance from the Dutch study grant and loan system.
Individuals who have already obtained a master’s degree from Leiden University are not eligible for scholarship consideration.
Recipients of the Leiden Excellence Scholarship are required to adhere to the terms and conditions of the award (as listed on the official website) and confirm their agreement in writing before the scholarship can be awarded.
How to Apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (LexS)
To apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, please follow the instructions below:
Firstly, apply for admission to a Master’s program at Leiden University online by following this link https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/admission-and-application, and if applicable, pay the application fee. Then, in the scholarship section of your online application, indicate that you want to apply for a LExS.
Upload your LExS motivation letter, which is a Word document of maximum 500 words, in which you explain why you should be considered for the award, as instructed in your online application.
Before the LExS application deadline, submit your online application, which includes your LExS application.
If you wish to apply for a LExS for each of your study programs and have applied for more than one, clearly indicate this in each application and upload a LExS motivation letter for each program.
Application Submission Deadline
To apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, please note the following submission deadlines. For programs starting in September, the deadline is 1st February, except for Law programs. For programs starting in February, the deadline is 1st October of the previous year. Make sure to submit your application before the deadline to be considered for the scholarship.